Academic Word List (IELTS & TOEFL) EngVid

Academic Word List (IELTS & TOEFL) engVid
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Academic Word List (IELTS & TOEFL)

by Alex
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This list features academic words that you may see or hear on the reading and/or listening sections
of the TOEFL and IELTS tests. Becoming familiar with these and similar words will also help you on
the writing and speaking portions of the tests.
*note: this list uses British spelling. (ex. 'maximise' not 'maximize' .)
v. = verb, n. = noun, adj. = adjective

Academic Word List
verb
to be able to enter, reach, approach, etc.

something
access
He couldnt access his email account because someone had
changed his password.
noun
access
the ability or right to enter, reach, approach, etc.

something
I dont have access to those files.
adjective
precise or exact; free from error (opposite =

inaccurate)
accurate
The victim was unable to provide an accurate description of the
criminal.
verb
achieve
to accomplish; to reach a certain standard
As a result of her hard work, she achieved an excellent score on

her final.
verb
to get or come into possession of something; to

accumulate or collect
acquire
Over 20 years of collecting stamps, Ive acquired over 4,000 of
them!
verb
to look at something closely; to examine in

detail
analyse
After analysing the DNA sample, the police were able to identify
the killer.
noun
a part or an element of something
aspect
Flexibility is just one aspect of being a successful gymnast.
verb
assist
available
to help or aid someone (noun = assistance)
They were assisted by an outside company when designing the

program.
adjective
free to help; present or in stock (in regards to

inventory)
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We do not have enough resources available to complete the

project.
adjective
aware
having knowledge of something; being

conscious or cognizant of something
I wasnt aware of the problem. Thank you for informing me.

to receive an advantage or make an
improvement
verb
benefit (from)
Society has greatly benefited from technological advancements.

adjective
gentle or kind; favorable; passive or inactive
benign
The military cannot afford to be benign in this war.
verb
comment (on)
to make a statement about something
First, I would like to comment on the current environmental

situation
to give an equivalent or a return for something
else
verb
compensate (for)
If the government expects citizens to do this, they must
compensate their citizens fairly.
a part or element of something (see also:
aspect)
noun
component
To understand the whole problem, you must look at all of its
separate components.
verb
concentrate (on)
to focus your attention on something
In order to move forward, we must concentrate on finding

realistic solutions to the problem.
noun
a result or effect of something
consequence
He was executed as a consequence for his heinous actions.
to be made of something; to be composed of
something
verb
consist (of)
A healthy relationship must consist of trust and mutual respect.

adjective
regular and seemingly permanent (adverb =

constantly)
constant
It is difficult to deal with constant disagreement when working in
a group.
verb
construct
to develop or build; to make
Numerous condos are currently being constructed in the

downtown core.
verb
to give to a common cause, supply, or fund
contribute
I contributed over $300 to charity last year.
verb
to change or transform into
convert (into)
That building was recently converted into a restaurant.
verb
to be similar to something; to be in agreement

with something
correspond (with/to)
The words of politicians often dont correspond with their
actions.
adjective
crucial
very important; vital
The media was crucial to changing public opinion about the Viet
Nam war.
verb
to provide a definition; to give clarity or

definition to something
define (as)
The word crucial can be defined as extremely important or
vital.
demonstrate
verb
to provide a demonstration or to show how

something functions
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This satellite will demonstrate the technological power of our

organization
verb
to create or model
design
The factory assembly line was partially designed by Henry Ford.
noun
disposal
the act of arranging or distributing; getting rid of

something
A general is responsible for the effective disposal of his soldiers.

adjective
distinct
clear and having easily-identifiable or specific

characteristics
Dark chocolate is known for its distinct smell and taste.

verb
emphasise
to place emphasis or special focus on

something
The media constantly emphasises the dangers of illegal drugs.

verb
to destroy slowly over time; to disintegrate
erode
Many religious leaders feel that secularism has eroded morality.
noun
error
a mistake
Despite constant reminders and protests, governments continue

to make errors.
verb, noun
to make an educated guess; to give a

projection
estimate
Scientists have been estimating a massive population explosion
over the next two decades.
verb
to keep someone/something from entering a

group, society, project, etc.
exclude
When I was in high school, I was excluded from many activities
due to my disability.
verb
extract
to get or obtain something from something else
Physical torture is not an effective means of extracting

information from a human being.
adjective
flexible
not rigid; able to be shaped (opposite =

inflexible)
Employers need to be flexible to the needs of their employees.

noun
function
the working purpose of something; ability
Cell phones are useful because they can serve multiple useful
functions.
adjective
the same or alike in appearance and/or

character
identical
The problem I have with suburban neighbourhoods is that all the
houses look identical.
verb
to recognise or verify the identity of

someone/something
identify
Even today, scientists continue to identify new types of plants
and animals.
verb
to show or give evidence of something
indicate
Research indicates that cell phones can cause cancer.
noun
a sign or token
indication (of)
High blood pressure is a clear indication of stress.
noun
an explanation or perception of something
interpretation
Religious writings can have multiple interpretations.
noun
item
a separate piece or article of something
Anthropologists have recently uncovered 200 physical items

pertaining to the Incas.
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noun
the act or process of making laws; the laws

which have been made
legislation
The current health legislation will be difficult for all political parties
to accept.
noun
the place of something
location
Niagara Falls is a popular location for tourists.
adjective
able to be explained or understood clearly

(opposite = illogical)
logical
The CEO has promised to take logical steps to ensure the future
success of the company.
noun
the greater part or number; over 50% of the

population
majority
The majority of citizens oppose the governments proposed
budget.
verb
to use to maximum effect or potential
maximise
The goal of any business is to maximise its profits.
verb
minimise
In any war, one of the primary objectives should be to minimise

civilian casualties.
verb
monitor
to reduce as much as possible
to watch and give attention
Companies have numerous ways to monitor employee

behaviour.
verb
to get or receive
obtain
In order to obtain respect, a person has to earn it.
adjective
obvious
clear and easy to see
There are some obvious similarities between French and English

vocabulary.
verb
to happen or take place
occur
An earthquake is expected to occur here in the next 2-3 years.
noun
a choice; one of several possibilities to be

chosen
option
When our options are limited, we are more likely to act
decisively.
verb
to take part in something
participate
Thousands of talented athletes participate in the Olympics.
noun
the act of taking part in something
participation
Portugal was ridiculed for its participation in slavery.
noun
period
a portion of time; a significant interval of time in

history
The 1700s were a period of great scientific advance.

adjective
exact or definite
precise
It is important for a teacher to give precise instructions.
adjective
able to be predicted (opposite = unpredictable)
predictable
The goal of science is to find predictable results.
adjective, verb
not allowed; forbidden
prohibited
These days, smoking is prohibited in many public places.
noun
proportion
a part of a larger whole; the size of something
A large proportion of modern problems are a result of

negligence.
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a potential candidate; a possibility of success,

profit, etc.
noun
prospect
I was excited by the prospect of winning the lottery.

adjective
relating to the mind or psychology
psychological
We must pay attention to our psychological health.
verb
to buy
purchase
Were planning to purchase a house next year.
verb
to chase or follow
pursue
Acting is a difficult career to pursue.
adjective
relevant
connected to the current situation; pertinent

(opposite = irrelevant)
In an essay, we must only focus on relevant supporting details.

adjective
reliable
able to be predicted or trusted; dependable

(opposite = unreliable)
Finding a reliable babysitter is difficult for most parents.

verb
require
to have need of something; to need
To take a masters course, one requires an undergraduate

degree.
something which is obligatory, demanded, or
needed
noun
requirement
You do not meet the requirements for this position

a support, supply, or aid of something that can
be used when needed
noun
resource
If you want me to do this presentation, I will need more
resources.
verb
respond
to reply
When faced with a bully, it is important not to respond with

anger.
verb
to remember; to continue to use
retain
The most difficult part of learning is retaining the information
noun
a position or customary function
role
The role of a parent is to provide safety for his/her child.
noun
a part or subdivision
sector
It is the governments job to protect all sectors of society.
adjective
safe; protected from harm (opposite = insecure)
secure
Everyone wants to live in a secure neighbourhood.
verb
to choose
select
We selected the best candidate for the job.
adjective
important; of consequence (opposite =

insignificant)
significant
Man landing on the moon was a significant achievement for
science.
noun
source
any place, person, or thing from which

something else comes or originates
We cant seem to locate the source of the problem.

noun
status
someones position in relation to other people;

the state or condition
His status as the top player in the game is unquestionable.

noun
the organization or arrangement of something
structure
The structure of the education system needs to change.
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noun, verb
a replacement for someone/something
substitute
If you want to succeed, there is no substitute for hard work.
verb
symbolise
to represent or be a symbol for something
In most cultures, it is understood that the dove symbolises

peace.
noun
a job or duty to be performed
task
Raising a family is not an easy task.
noun
a specific way of doing something; a certain

skill
technique
Most people dont know that cooking requires hundreds of
difficult techniques.
adjective
topical
pertaining to current or local events or interests
Global warming has been extremely topical in the first half of the
21st century.
verb
to change into a different form
transform
The internet has transformed the way we communicate.
noun
trend
a style that is currently popular; the general

course of something
Fashion trends are always changing.
verb
vary
to be different; to alternate; to change or alter;

to diversify
To write a good essay, you need to vary your vocabulary.

adjective
being truly or very much so
veritable
I felt a veritable pain in my abdomen
adjective
visible
able to be seen (opposite = invisible)
There has been a visible shift in public opinion towards the

government.
verb
to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.
wane
My interest in the movie waned the longer we watched it.
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